Year-End Giving: 5 Things That Actually Move the Needle

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Roughly 30% of all annual giving happens in December, and about 10% happens in the last three days of the year. If you're not set up to capture those donations, you're leaving money on the table.

Here are five things I've seen make a real difference.

1. Make sure your donation page works

This sounds basic, but I've seen nonprofits lose thousands because their donation form was broken on mobile, slow to load, or required too many steps. Before December hits:

• Test your form on a phone
• Make sure it loads in under 3 seconds
• Confirm recurring giving is an option
• Check that the receipt email goes out automatically

If your current platform makes any of this difficult, switching to something like GiveButter or Donorbox takes less than a day and is worth doing before your biggest giving season.

2. Send fewer, better emails

The organizations I've seen do best in December don't send 15 emails. They send three or four really good ones:

• Early December: Share a specific impact story and ask for a year-end gift
• Mid-December: A short, personal note from your ED or founder
• December 30-31: A simple, direct ask with a deadline ("Give by midnight to claim your 2026 tax deduction")

The December 31 email is consistently the highest-performing fundraising email of the year for most nonprofits. Don't skip it.

3. Use the tax deadline

Donors who itemize deductions are actively looking to make charitable gifts before December 31. This is one of the few times you can create genuine urgency without being manipulative. Use it.

Make sure your donation receipt includes your EIN and the proper tax language. (See my guide on donation tax receipts for details.)

4. Make a matching gift happen

If you can find a board member or major donor willing to match gifts up to a certain amount, do it. Matching campaigns consistently outperform regular asks. "Your $50 becomes $100" is a powerful motivator.

Even a small match ($5,000 or $10,000) can meaningfully increase participation rates from smaller donors.

5. Follow up in January

Most nonprofits forget this part. Someone gives you $100 in December and the next time they hear from you is the following November when you ask for money again.

In January, send:

• A thank-you email with a quick impact update
• Their year-end tax receipt (if you haven't already)
• An invitation to become a monthly donor ("You gave $100 in December. Would you consider $10/month instead?")

That January follow-up is where you convert one-time donors into recurring supporters. Don't waste the goodwill.